Gamage's explosive 64 -- the highlight
The rain gods at last permitted the MCA 'D' Division 40-Over League Tournament 2017 to get off last weekend, with 16 teams participating in 4 Groups.
Dilip Nishan Gamage (Expolanka Group) Janaka Ushan (Hilton Colombo Residencies) Sadeesha Lakmal (NTB), Gayan Prasanga and Rasika Chandana (Heshan Flexe) and Sachin Dewage (AMW Group) hogged the spotlight in the opening weekend.
Gamage coming low down at No. 8, hit a hurricane 94 not out in 64 balls, inclusive of 10 sixes and 2 fours, which enabled Expolanka Group to a 61-run win over Central Finance.
Janaka Ushan’s gutsy innings of 76 in 70 balls, inclusive of 3 sixes and 10 fours, did not bear fruit for Hilton Colombo Residencies who were all out for 165 in 30.5 overs, which was no match for Ceylinco Insurance’s 245 for 9 in 40 overs.
Sadeesh Lakmal’s splendid bowling performance (5.3-0-31-6) for NTB 'B', too went for a lost cause, as Bodyline fought tooth and nail to defend their moderate total of 115 in 32.3 overs. NTB in reply were shot out for 65 runs in 20.2 overs, with Gayan Sepalage (5-1-7-3) and Sanath Haputhanthri (4.2-0-11-3) were the wreckers.
Gayan Prasanga's 72 in 54 balls, inclusive of 2 sixes and 10 fours, and Rasika Chandana 45, put on 117 runs for the 3rd wicket in 103 balls, which lifted Heshan Flexe to a convincing 81-run win over NDB Bank.
Opening batsman, Sachin Devage made a top score of 77 in 91 balls, with 4 sixes and 5 fours for AMW Group, as they beat Brumbys International by a huge margin of 107 runs. AMW's 256 for 6 in 40 overs, was the weekend’s highest total.
David Peiris Motor Co.(DPMC) went home to lunch, beating Hemas Group by 7 wickets; Hemas fell like 9pins for 96 runs in 24 overs, and DPMC got the runs in 12.1 overs. Vishwa Ratnayake (7.5-1-24-4) and Shamil Perera (8-4-18-4) bowled Citizens Development Business (CDB) to a facile 8-wicket win over Delmege Group.
Good batting by Kasun Ranasinghe (58) and good bowling by Shiral Senaratne (5-1-12-3) spearheaded Kanrich Finance 'B' to a huge 110-run win over Softlogic Holdings.